Are you a beginner RC pilot who has dreamed of building RC sailplane kits or getting your first RC airplane but you don’t know where to begin? Let us help!

Our goal is to be a great source of information to the beginner RC pilot. We are always adding new content to our BLOG so be sure to check it out! We want to help answer the questions you have and help you have a successful start! We know that if you move from just curiosity into actually getting your first RC plane, you will be hooked for life! This is such a fantastic sport with an amazing network of people, but it’s hard to know where to begin. Please be interactive and post comments in our blog, send us messages and questions via the contact page, we want to help YOU.

If you are a beginner and this is your first introduction to the RC flying hobby, what you’ll quickly learn is that not all kits are equal. Perhaps you’ve bought RC sailplane kits in the past and became frustrated during the build because the instructions were severely lacking. Maybe you made some mistakes because of it and were turned off to the whole project because you got a bad taste in your mouth. It was no longer fun. The kit sat on your bench unfinished for a long period of time until you finally decided to scrap it and start over. Maybe this isn’t you (yet) but this is your biggest fear. We provide you featured RC sailplane kits that we have put together ourselves and feel that we can recommend them to you!

Featured RC Sailplane Kits of the Month

Traditionally, First Person Flying was complex, costly and time consuming, but with the new SpyHawk FPV all the hard work is done. Simply glue on the tail pieces with the included glue, charge the battery, and go flying! The SpyHawk is made of crash resistant foam and it’s built in stabilization system makes it perfect for beginners and experienced R/C Flyers alike. Version 3 includes updated servos, larger elevator, better cooling, selectable video frequency, remote arming of gyro, and the ability to control recording from the transmitter.

Built in 5.8 Ghz FPV system with recording module and 4GB SD card

State-of-the-art 3 axis flight stabilization system

2.4Ghz radio with build in 5.8Ghz video receiver and high resolution 3.5″ Color LCD

7.4v 450mAh LiPo battery and balance charger

Spare prop, user manual and glue

4-Channel Aileron, Elevator, Rudder and Throttle Control

EPO Molded Foam Airframe

Autopilot Feature

Brushless Motor, Brushless ESC and 2S LiPo Battery

Includes 5 Megapixel Camera Installed in the Nose With Live Video Feed

-Goldberg Gentle Lady RC Glider Kits-

Here is probably one of the best RC sailplane kits designed for beginner to intermediate pilots. Released around 1980, the original Gentle Lady RC glider kit has introduced countless sailplane pilots to the art of thermal soaring. Still popular today, the Gentle Lady has seen use in design contests, sailplane competitions, and slope soaring training. One could hand launch and catch a Gentle Lady before hand launch sailplanes were available. It has encouraged countless RC sailplane kits to be assembled by novices and pros alike. It has a simple design, which is what makes it so amazing! Simple yet exactly what one needs to get the glider in the air and enjoy soaring!

Center of Gravity: 3.5″ – 3.75″ (89mm – 95mm) back from leading / edge of wing at fuselage sides.

Control Throws -

Elevator: Up & Down 3/8″ (9mm)

Rudder: Right & Left 1½” (38mm)

-ParkZone Radian PNP Electric Brushless RC Glider-

Large 2-meter wingspan makes Radian easy to see from the ground and provides great lift-to-drag ratio. The Plug-in wings come off the body for easy transport and storage. A Powerful 480-size, 960Kv outrunner brushless motor for efficient power, and the rudder and elevator provide true 3-channel flight and maneuverability. E-flite Pro 30A Brushless ESC with Switch-Mode BEC for amazing performance. Durable, lightweight and repairable Z-Foam construction.The ParkZone Radian gives the best opportunity for RC Sailplane pilots to experience the true feeling of flight. Although a powerful 480 brushless motor assists with the initial launch, the prop folds back to reduce drag once throttle is brought down to 0, allowing the glider to utilize thermals of air to remain aloft, instead of batteries. This means flight times are much longer than they are with traditional electric or gas aircraft, making a great day at the airfield even better. Like all of ParkZone’s innovative and high-quality aircraft, the Radian looks great straight from the box. The plane’s large 2-meter wingspan and elliptical dihedral design improve flight performance, while detachable wings provide for easy transportation and storage. Not only does the Radian’s lightweight Z-Foam construction offer the perfect balance of weight and durability, it also makes repairing the glider easy and fast. With the PNP plane sold here, just purchase and install your battery and receiver, and you are mere minutes away from the ultimate soaring adventure.

Approx. Flying Duration: Flight times in excess of 30 minutes when using the ParkZone 1300mAh Li-Po battery and limited motor run

Must Have Items

-RealFlight 6.5-

If you are a beginner and haven’t flown any type of RC gliders or RC planes, I suggest that you get a simulator and practice! In the long run it will save you much more than the cost of this software in lost RC kits and (especially) time you spent building them. I suggest spending at LEAST 5-10 hours of flight time before even attempting to control any RC plane on the field, and 10-20 hours ideally.

Practice makes perfect. Start on the Simulator and take what you’ve learned to the field. Make those beginner mistakes on a plane that is virtual instead of crashing your newly build kit! I have used Real Flight for years and I absolutely love it. It has RC sailplanes as well as gas and electric motorized planes. Think of all the money you will save in crashed planes with this! Any RC pilot will tell you that this is a no-brainer, just buy one.